In what could be aptly described as a shootout, the Norwood Jaguars came out victorious over the Harriman Middle School Blue Devils 26-20 Thursday night at Wallace Black Field.

“We got beat by big plays tonight," Harriman head coach Baron Tapp. "Norwood made lots of big plays. One on defense for a touchdown and two on offense.

“We fought hard and gave them all we had, but we just couldn't make the big plays."

Norwood needed only three plays to cover 50 yards, scoring on a one yard touchdown run by Blake Danner. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the score 6-0 with 6:58 left in the opening quarter.

Harriman came right back on a four-play, 65-yard drive, scoring on a two-yard touchdown run by Michael Roberts. The two-point try fell short and the score was 6-6 with 5:05 left in the opening quarter.

Norwood would get the ball back at their own 45 and score on their lone play of scrimmage when Keith Roberts hit Cody Sexton on a picture-perfect screen play for a 55-yard Norwood touchdown.

Danner plowed into the end zone on the two-point play to make the score 14-6 with 4:49 to go in the opening quarter.

Harriman got deep into Norwood territory, getting to the Jaguar 17 yard line before the opening quarter came to a halt.

Three plays into the second quarter, disaster struck the Devils when they fumbled the ball and Jonathan Bean rumbled and stumbled 86 yards to the promised land on the fumble recovery.

The two-point play was no good, making the score 20-6 with 6:27 left in the half.

Both teams traded punts before the Devils scored on a 66-yard touchdown scamper by Roberts.

The two-point play fell short, making the score 20-12 with 1:48 to go in the half.

Harriman then recovered a Norwood fumble and had a chance to score before the half, but turned it over on downs before going to the locker room trailing 20-12.

Harriman needed only four plays to cover 56 yards and score on another Roberts touchdown.

Roberts also tacked on the two-point conversion to tie the score tied up at 20-20 with 5:54 to go in quarter number three.

Norwood struck right back on a five-play, 65-yard drive, scoring on a 29-yard touchdown run by Sexton.

The two-point attempt was no good, making the score 26-20 with 3:28 left in the third quarter.

Harriman turned the ball over on downs on their next drive and Norwood managed to move the chains before the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, however, the Jaguars would also turn it over on downs and give the Devils one last shot where they got to midfield, but a sack by Norwood's Jeremy Jones ended the game with a 26-20 defeat for the Blue Devils.

The Jaguars won through the air 106-0, but lost on the ground 259-90 as Harriman beat the Jaguars in total offense 259-196.

Norwood was led through the air by Roberts (7-9, 106 yards, 1 TD) and on the ground by Sexton (6-67-1 TD). The leading receiver for the Jaguars was Danner (6-51), and they were led on defense by Jeremy Jones (7 tackles, 1 sack) and Jerrod Metler (5 tackles, 1 sack).

Harriman was led on offense by the rushing of Roberts (17-136-3 TDs), Austin Barnett (9-76), and Travis Kirkland (9-64). The defense was led by play of Kirkland (7 tackles).

"Our offense worked a lot better tonight and my hat goes off to Norwood, they came ready to play tonight,” Tapp said.

Thursday, the Devils take a trip to Rockwood to face the Tigers.

"They're really good and loaded this year,” Tapp said. "They're a really big team and we're going have to work hard to beat them."